Tag: شهریار بیات

After Death Sentence Overturned by Supreme Court, Political Prisoner Shahriar Bayat Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Saeed Sharafati, Shahriar Bayat, شهریار بیات

HRANA News Agency – Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Shahriar Bayat’s death sentence, the political prisoner has been resentenced by a parallel court to five years in prison and one year of unpaid service at the Kahrizak Charity Institute.

Based on information received by HRANA, the judge of Branch 10 of the Criminal Court One in Tehran Province ruled that Bayat deserved a sentence above the minimum for the charge of “blasphemy,” sentencing him to five years in prison. As a complementary punishment, Bayat was also ordered to perform one year of unpaid service at the Kahrizak Charity Institute.

The court session addressing Bayat’s charges was held on May 14 of this year.

Earlier, in April, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court overturned Bayat’s death sentence and referred the case to a parallel court for retrial.

On February 14, 2024, Bayat was sentenced to death by Branch 13 of Tehran’s Criminal Court One, with judges Saeed Sherafati and Ali Taghian issuing the majority verdict. The charges included sabb al-nabi (insulting the Prophet of Islam), insulting holy figures, and blasphemy—allegedly through sharing images and posts on social media.

However, at the same time, a minority opinion was issued by Judge Abolghasem Morad-Talab, who ruled in favor of a reduced sentence of six months in prison, citing Bayat’s expression of remorse.

It’s worth noting that an earlier decision by the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Shahriar had initially dismissed the sabb al-nabi charge against Bayat. However, following an appeal by the Shahriar Prosecutor, the case was referred to the city’s Revolutionary Court. That court ultimately declined jurisdiction over the charge, leading the case to be transferred to Tehran’s Criminal Court One.

The issuance of a death sentence and the overall judicial process have raised serious concerns about inconsistencies and irregularities in Bayat’s case. The sentence was handed down just weeks after Bayat had been granted furlough.

Bayat, a political prisoner, was arrested at 4 a.m. on September 25, 2022, at his home in Shahriar by security forces amid the nationwide protests. He was initially transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary and later moved to Ward 6 of Evin Prison.

On March 1, 2023, in a separate case, Bayat was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Shahriar Revolutionary Court to a total of 18 years in prison: One year for propaganda against the regime, two years for insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic and the Supreme Leader, five years for assembly and collusion against national security, ten years for forming and running an unlawful (virtual) group aimed at disturbing national security.

Of these, the ten-year sentence was deemed enforceable as the most severe, but following a request for sentence reduction, it was lowered to eight years and six months.

Shahriar Bayat, aged about 64, is a retired government employee, married, and a resident of Shahriar.

Death Sentence of Shahriar Bayat Overturned by Supreme Court

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Elaheh Bayat, Evin Prison, sabb al-nabi, Shahriar Bayat, شهریار بیات

HRANA News Agency – The death sentence of Shahriar Bayat, a 64-year-old political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been overturned by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. His case has been sent to a parallel branch of the Tehran Criminal Court for a retrial.

Amin Adel Ahmadian, Bayat’s attorney, announced on social media that the death sentence previously issued against Bayat for sabb al-nabi (insulting the Prophet) was overturned by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. The case has now been referred to Branch 10 of Tehran Province’s Criminal Court One for reconsideration.

In January 2025, Bayat’s daughter, Elaheh Bayat, told HRANA that his request for appeal had been registered and the case was under review by the Supreme Court.

On February 14, 2024, Bayat was sentenced to death by Branch 13 of Tehran’s Criminal Court One, with judges Saeed Sharafati and Ali Toghian issuing the majority verdict. The charges included sabb al-nabi (insulting the Prophet of Islam), insulting holy figures, and blasphemy—allegedly through sharing images and posts on social media.

However, at the same time, a minority opinion was issued by Judge Abolghasem Morad-Talab, who ruled in favor of a reduced sentence of six months in prison, citing Bayat’s expression of remorse.

It’s worth noting that an earlier decision by the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Shahriar had initially dismissed the sabb al-nabi charge against Bayat. However, following an appeal by the Shahriar Prosecutor, the case was referred to the city’s Revolutionary Court. That court ultimately declined jurisdiction over the charge, leading the case to be transferred to Tehran’s Criminal Court One.

The issuance of a death sentence and the overall judicial process have raised serious concerns about inconsistencies and irregularities in Bayat’s case. The sentence was handed down just weeks after Bayat had been granted furlough.

Bayat, a political prisoner, was arrested at 4 a.m. on September 25, 2022, at his home in Shahriar by security forces amid the nationwide protests. He was initially transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary and later moved to Ward 6 of Evin Prison.

On March 1, 2023, in a separate case, Bayat was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Shahriar Revolutionary Court to a total of 18 years in prison: One year for propaganda against the regime, two years for insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic and the Supreme Leader, five years for assembly and collusion against national security, ten years for forming and running an unlawful (virtual) group aimed at disturbing national security.

Of these, the ten-year sentence was deemed enforceable as the most severe, but following a request for sentence reduction, it was lowered to eight years and six months.

Shahriar Bayat, aged about 64, is a retired government employee, married, and a resident of Shahriar.

Shahriar Bayat, 64-Year-Old Death-Row Political Prisoner, Denied Medical Care Amid Supreme Court Case Review

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News, Prisoners
Elahe Bayat, Evin Prison, HRANA, Shahriar, Shahriar Bayat, شهریار بیات

HRANA News Agency – Shahriar Bayat, a 64-year-old political prisoner on death row and held in Evin Prison, is suffering from numerous health problems, including prostate disease, gout, gastrointestinal issues, and colitis. Despite the severity of his condition, he has been denied access to specialized medical care and external treatment facilities. Meanwhile, his case remains under review by the Supreme Court.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Bayat’s health has significantly deteriorated. In addition to his existing ailments, he is experiencing gum sores caused by incomplete dental treatments. Despite his repeated requests, he has only been sent to the prison’s infirmary a handful of times, where officials have provided nothing more than non-specialized medications. Prison authorities continue to block his access to specialist consultations or transfers to outside medical centers. Moreover, medication provided by his family last week has yet to be delivered to him.

Elahe Bayat, Mr. Bayat’s daughter, confirmed this information to HRANA. She revealed that her father had been beaten on the head during interrogations, resulting in chronic headaches. She also expressed concern about his drastic weight loss, declining mental health, and the toll his medical conditions have taken on his well-being. Elahe further noted that while an appeal against her father’s death sentence has been submitted to the Supreme Court, no progress has been made. Authorities have claimed that cases are processed based on their registration numbers, leaving his case in limbo.

Background on Shahriar Bayat’s Arrest and Sentencing
Shahriar Bayat was arrested on September 25, 2022, during nationwide protests. Security forces detained him at his home in Shahriar and transferred him to the Greater Tehran Prison before moving him to Evin Prison.

On March 1, 2023, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar sentenced Mr. Bayat in his first case. He received:

  • 1 year imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime,”
  • 2 years imprisonment for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic and the Supreme Leader,”
  • 5 years imprisonment for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,”
  • 10 years imprisonment for “forming and managing illegal (virtual) groups to disrupt national security.”
    This totaled 18 years of imprisonment, of which 10 years were enforceable. Following a request for sentence reduction, his prison term was reduced to 8 years and 6 months.

In late February 2023, in a separate case, the 13th Branch of the Criminal Court of Tehran Province, presided over by Saeed Sherafati and Ali Taghian, sentenced Mr. Bayat to death for blasphemy against the Prophet of Islam, insulting other Islamic figures, and desecrating Islamic sanctities through posts on social media. This verdict contradicted the earlier decision by a minority panel, which commuted Bayat’s sentence to six months in prison after he expressed remorse.

It is noteworthy that the Shahriar Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office had previously issued a non-prosecution order for Mr. Bayat on the same charge. However, following an appeal by the Shahriar Prosecutor’s Office, the case was reviewed by the Shahriar Revolutionary Court. Since the Revolutionary Court lacked jurisdiction over blasphemy charges, the case was referred to the Criminal Court of Tehran Province.

The issued rulings and the legal proceedings so far highlight significant ambiguities in Mr. Bayat’s case.

Shahriar Bayat is a retired employee, married, and a resident of Shahriar, Tehran province.

Political Prisoner Shahriar Bayat Sentenced to Death for Alleged Insult to Prophet of Islam

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, great tehran penitentiary, HRANA, Shahriar, Shahriar Bayat, شهریار بیات

Shahriar Bayat, a 64-year-old political prisoner currently held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to death by the Tehran Criminal Court for allegedly “insulting the prophet of Islam.”

Confirming this conviction, a source close to Bayat’s family informed HRANA that Bayat received this sentence on March 24, 2024, the final day of his furlough from Evin Prison. This verdict was issued by Branch 13 of the Tehran Criminal Court. According to the source, Bayat’s wife, Nahid, is not in good health to inquire about her husband’s legal case.

Bayat faces legal proceedings in both the Criminal and Revolutionary Courts. Reports obtained by HRANA indicate that the majority of the board of judges in the Criminal Court convicted Bayat of “insulting the prophet of Islam, Shia Imams, and other Islamic sanctities through the publication of pictures and posts on social media.”

This verdict contradicts the earlier decision by a minority panel, which commuted Bayat’s sentence to six months in prison after he expressed remorse. The verdict can be appealed within 20 days of its issuance.

Notably, the Shahriar Public and Revolutionary Court initially had jurisdiction over this legal case and closed this case. However, due to the insistence of the Shahriar prosecutor, the court transferred the case to the Tehran Criminal Court.

Shahriar Bayat’s legal troubles began on September 25, 2022, when he was arrested by security forces during nationwide protests at his residence in the city of Shahriar and subsequently detained in the Great Tehran Penitentiary. He was later transferred to Evin Prison.

On March 1, 2023, the Shahriar Revolutionary Court sentenced Bayat to a total of 18 years in prison for various charges including “forming illegal groups to act against national security,” “assembly and collusion to act against national security,” “insulting the former and current Supreme Leader of Iran,” and “propaganda against the regime.” Pursuant to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which mandates the enforcement of the harshest punishment in cases of multiple charges, Bayat’s sentence was initially ten years, later reduced to eight years and six months following his request for a reduction in punishment.

In July-August 2023, in a letter addressed to the judiciary, Bayat wrote about his imprisonment at the age of 63, emphasizing his lack of prior political activism and attributing his incarceration solely to content found on his cell phone, much of which he claimed was commonplace on the internet. He also highlighted his denial of medical care for digestive diseases during his detention in the Great Tehran Penitentiary.